The Best Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes

Made with a mixture of heavy cream and sour cream and then processed in a potato ricer, these mashed potatoes boast the most velvety, smoothest texture, and then we make this recipe even more delicious by giving it a flavor kick from the brown butter. Essentially, these brown butter mashed potatoes are perfection in a bowl.

Course Side Dishes

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Total Time 50

Servings people

Calories 339kcal

Author Amanda McGrory-Dixon

Equipment

Large stockpot
Strainer
Potato ricer (optional but recommended)
Study spoon or mixer

Ingredients

5 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes
2 tablespoons salt
Cold water
1 cup butter
1 ½ cups heavy cream
½ cup sour cream
Fresh chopped parsley for garnish, optional

Instructions

Peel potatoes, cut into quarters and rinse well.
In a large stockpot, add potatoes, salt and enough cold water that it covers the potatoes by an inch or two. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Continue to simmer until you can easily pierce the potatoes with a fork, about 20 to 30 minutes.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat until it turns golden brown and foamy. Stir in the heavy cream and sour cream and reduce to medium-low. Don't boil --- just heat until warm. Remove from heat once warmed.
When a fork easily pierces the potatoes, drain, pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture and move to a mixing bowl. If using a potato ricer, pass the potatoes through the ricer before adding them back to the mixing bowl.
Begin to roughly mash the potatoes to break them up. Pour the warm brown butter-cream mixture over the potatoes and continue to mash until they reach your desired consistency and then immediately stop mashing to prevent overmixing. To mash, you can use a potato masher, sturdy wooden spoon, or handheld or stand mixer on low. Taste and add salt if necessary. Serve immediately or see notes for making these mashed potatoes ahead of time. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

To make these mashed potatoes ahead of time and reheat, you have a few options. Warm the mashed potatoes on the stove over low heat. Stir every so often and add a little heavy cream to return the mashed potatoes to their original consistency.
Spoon the refrigerated mashed potatoes in a room-temperature 9-inch-by-13-inch baking dish and pour a splash of cream on top. If you refrigerate your mashed potatoes in the baking dish, take it out 30 minutes before putting them in the oven. Cover with foil and bake in a 350-degree oven until warm --- about 30 minutes. Stir to fluff up and add a little more cream if necessary to get to your desired consistency.
Pour a splash of heavy cream into a slow cooker, add the mashed potatoes and set to low. Stir occasionally to keep the potatoes together. Once the mashed potatoes heat through, turn to the warm setting for up to four hours. Or you could even make the mashed potatoes, immediately put them in the slow cooker, set it to warm, stir occasionally and then serve the mashed potatoes four hours later.
Microwave the mashed potatoes in a covered dish in short intervals and stir. Keep doing this until the mashed potatoes heat through. Like the other methods, add a little heavy cream at the end.
These mashed potatoes can also be frozen. Thaw by placing in the refrigerator overnight or using the thaw setting on your microwave.
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Nutrition